SHARON Mayor takes oath of office

A re-elected councilman and the city's new police chief also took their oaths of office. SHARON, Pa. -- David O. Ryan made two promises to the public after taking the oath of office as the city's new mayor. "I won't lie to anybody ... and I will try to do the best I can for this community," Ryan told a crowd of more than 125 people who showed up at city hall at 7 p.m. Monday to witness his swearing-in ceremony. The election is over. It's time for the city to move forward, he added. Ryan is taking over the city's top post from former Mayor Robert T. Price who, after 24 years in office, chose not to seek re-election. Ryan wasn't the only one taking the oath of office. Also sworn in: Councilman George Gulla, re-elected last year, also took his oath as did Thomas M. Burke, Ryan's selection for police chief. Councilman Fred Hoffman , also re-elected, didn't attend the 7 p.m. ceremony but took his oath of office earlier in the evening just before council's annual reorganization meeting at 5 p.m. Nick Morocco, the city's new controller, also took his oath earlier and didn't attend Ryan's ceremony. Hoffman was re-elected council president during the 5 p.m. reorganization meeting, and council named Marie Reiter, as city clerk, which is the secretary to council members. She works full time in the city tax office, but will spend one-fifth of her time on council business, Councilman Ray Fabian said. The city clerk job was full-time until this year. Council made it part-time because the previous city clerk, Marybeth Fragle, had spent much of her time working for the police department. Fragle has moved to a secretary's position in the mayor's office.